Spring Vegetable Minestrone Soup (Printable)

A wholesome Italian soup with fresh veggies, tender beans, pasta, and savory herbs in a light broth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
08 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 ½ cups baby spinach, packed

→ Beans & Pasta

10 - 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
11 - ¾ cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)

→ Liquids & Broth

12 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
13 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices

→ Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
16 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnishes

19 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
20 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley

# How-to Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add zucchini, peas, green beans, oregano, thyme, basil, and bay leaf. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
05 - Add cannellini beans and pasta. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It captures that fleeting moment when spring vegetables are at their absolute sweetest and most tender
  • The soup comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • The pasta will continue absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so it may need more broth when reheating leftovers
  • Reserve some pasta to add directly to individual bowls if you prefer it never to get mushy
03 -
  • Cut all vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook evenly and look beautiful in the bowl
  • Taste the broth before adding salt since different vegetable broths vary wildly in sodium

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